Nalanda in Bihar Nalanda University, which is 95 kilometres from Patna, the capital of Bihar, was a prominent academic hub under the Gupta Empire and afterwards under Harshavardhana, the monarch of Kannauj. Many academics from various countries, including China, Korea, Central Asia, and Tibet, participated in it. It was inspired by the highly structured vedic learning methods. Later, in the 12th century AD, it was destroyed by the Muslim army. Best time to travel: November to February Opening time: 9 am to 5 pm Entry fee: INR 15 for Indians and INR 200 for foreign nationals Things to do: Visit Nalanda Archeological Museum, Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall, Xuan Zang Memorial, etc.